Refrigerator cabinet construction

ABSTRACT

A refrigerator cabinet including a liner having a flange at the front thereof and a shell spaced from the liner and having an inwardly opening channel at the front thereof is provided with a breaker strip comprising an L-shaped anchoring means frictionally received in the channel, and flexible angularly disposed latching elements adapted to ride over and latch the strip onto the liner front edge.

Elite States mm Edward 11. Roberts .leffersontown, Ky. 875,266

Nov. 10, 1969 Nov. 23, 1971 General Electric Company Inventor Appl. No.Filed Patented Assignee REFRIGERATOR CABINET CONSTRUCTION 7 Claims, 4Drawing Figs.

US. Cl 312/214, 220/9 Int. Cl A47b 81/00, F25d 11/00, 865d 25/18 Fieldof Search 312/214, 236; 220/9; 24/73 MF [56] References Cited UNITEDSTATES PATENTS 1,737,375 11/1929 King 24/73 MF 2,676,727 4/1954 Jacobset al. 220/9 2,708,529 5/1955 Lander et al.. 220/9 2,873,041 2/1959Allen 220/9 3,380,615 4/1968 Kessler 3l2/214X Primary Examiner- Paul R.Gilliam Attorneys-Walter E. Rule, Harry F. Manbeck, .Ir., Frank L.

Neuhauser, Oscar B. Waddell and Joseph B. Forman ABSTRACT: Arefrigerator cabinet including a liner having a flange at the frontthereof and a shell spaced from the liner and having an inwardly openingchannel at the front thereof is provided with a breaker strip comprisingan L-shaped anchoring means frictionally received in the channel, andflexible angularly disposed latching elements adapted to ride over andlatch the strip onto the liner front edge.

PATENTED 23 3,622,215

INVENTOR.

EDWARD H. ROBERTS H\ 5 AT TORNEY I REFRIGERATOR CABINET CONSTRUCTIONBACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION A primary object ofthe present invention is to provide an improved breaker strip, the shelland liner anchoring components thereof being so designed that they canbe simultaneously mounted on the shell and liner.

A more specific object of the invention is to provide an improvedbreaker strip construction having a relatively flat body or bridgingportion and shell and liner anchoring means both of which will engagethe shell and liner edges by application to the breaker strip of apressure normal to the flat body portion of the strip.

In accordance with the illustrated embodiment of the invention, there isprovided a refrigerator cabinet including an outer shell and an innerliner spaced from the shell with the spaces between the wall portions ofthese components preferably filled with a foam resin insulation bondingthe shell and liner into an integral unit. The forward edge portion ofthe liner includes an outwardly extending flange surrounding the formedto include a channel opening inwardly and defined by front and rearparallel walls, the front wall being a flange forming the face portionof the cabinet. The breaker strip bridging the space between the inneredge of the and the liner flange includes a body or bridging portionoverlapping the inner surface of the liner adjacent the liner flange anda front edge portion preferably overlapping the inner edge of the shellflange. The shell edge of the strip is provided with spaced and flexiblefingers or latching elements extending angularly and rearwardly from theplane of the rib in overlapping and latching relationship with the linerflange. These elements include camming or curved outer edges which areadapted time that the shell anchoring portion of the breaker strip isbeing inserted into the shell channel.

2 BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING In the accompanying drawing,

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a refrigerator cabinet embodying thepresent invention, with parts thereof broken away for clarity;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary, partly broken, isometric view of a portion ofthe cabinet illustrating certain details of the invention;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken generally along line 33 of FIG. 1illustrating one step in the assembly of the breaker strip of thepresent invention; and

FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 3 illustrating the assembled breakerstrip and cabinet.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT In the accompanying drawing,rectangular refrigerator cabinet spaces between the inner liner and theouter shell are generally filled with a foamed resin insulating material5 which is foamed in place between the liner fiber glass insulation 6placed in this area.

The outer shell 4 includes opposed sidewalls as well as top and bottomwalls and the forward edge portion of each of these walls surroundingflange 7 forming the face portion of the the access opening shell isalso bent cabinet surrounding to the compartment 1. This material of theback upon itself as shown more clearly in of the drawing and thenrearwardly along an exterior wall of the cabinet and then inwardly inspaced relationship with the flange 7 to define an inwardly openingchannel 8 including a front wall composed of the double thickness flange7 and a rear wall 9 parallel to the front wall. The material of theshell is further bent to include a web or flange 10 extending rearwardlyfrom the channel wall 9, the wall 9 being somewhat shorter than theflange 7 forming the front wall of the channel 8.

A rectangular liner 2 which be inserted into the fonned is of dimensionssuch that it can shell through the rectangular Each of the breakerstrips 15 for bridging the spaces between the forward edges of the linerand the inner edges 14 of the face flanges on the four sides of theaccess opening inportion 16 extending from the flange edges 14 to andsubstantially overlapping the forward breaker strips 15 are preferablyformed of a resilient plastic material such as a propyleneethylenecopolmer.

In accordance with the present invention, the breaker strip is providedwith anchoring means which are an integral part of the strip and whichare simultaneously operable to secure the breaker strip to the liner andshell components of the cabinet.

an L-shape projection adapted to enter the channel 8 and frictionallyengage the opposed sidewalls thereof. Preferably the rib 17, whichengages the front wall 7 of the channel, is relatively thick andconstitutes the principal means for positioning the breaker striprelative to the shell and liner. The rearwardly extending lip i8 isthinner and hence more flexible than the rib l7 and is slightly longerthan the width of the channel 8 so that this L-shaped anchoring meanswill be firmly anchored by frictional engagement with the sidewalls ofthe channel 8.

The means for securing the breaker strip to the liner component 2comprises a second outwardly extending rib 2i projecting from the bodyportions 16 of the back or outer surfaces of the breaker strip forwardlyfrom and adjacent the liner flange 12. This rib 21 is parallel to flangel2 and is formed to include a plurality of spaced fingers or latchingelements 22 which, as is shown more clearly in H6. 2 of the drawing, arespaced longitudinally of the strip and extend angularly and rearwardlyfrom the plane of the rib 21 in overlapping and latching relationshipwith the liner flange 12 when the body portion 16 of the strip is incontact with the inner surface of the liner 2. For attachment of thebreaker strip to the liner 2, these elements 22 include arcuate orcamming outer edges 23 which are adapted, upon contact with the forwardedge of the liner adjacent the flange 12, to flex the elements towardthe plane of the rib 21 so that the elements can ride past or over theliner flange during assembly of the strip on the liner. Thereafter theelements 22 return to their as-formed shapes or positions in overlappingand latching relationship with the flange 12. Preferably the elements 22are somewhat thinner, at least adjacent tips 24 than are the ribs 21 tofacilitate flexing of the elements 22 during the latching operation,Also for ease of assembly, the elements 22 normally extend at an angleof about 45 or somewhat less relative to the rib 21.

The manner in which the breaker strip of the present invention can beeasily and quickly assembled onto the prepositioned liner and shellcomponents of a cabinet is illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4 of the drawing.As a first step, the breaker strip 15 is placed in bridging relationshipwith the liner and shell flange as illustrated in FIG. 3 with the rib 17in engagement with the inner surface of the front channel wall formed bythe flange 7. This positioning is facilitated by the fact that the rearwall 9 of the channel 8 is shorter than the front wall thus permittingthe rib 17 to engage the front wall 7 while the lip 8 is in engagementwith the inner edge of the wall 9 or more specifically the flange 10extending rearwardly therefrom. With the breaker strip in this position,the curving or cammed surface portion 23 of each of the elements 22engages the forward edge 11 of of the liner. After the breaker strip hasbeen thus positioned, the application of pressure on the face of thebreaker strip, that is the application of a force substantiallyperpendicular to the plane of the breaker strip body portion 16, causesthe L-shaped anchoring means at the front edge of the breaker strip tobe pressed into the channel 8 and at the same time latching elements 22are bent or flexed to ride past the flange 12 to a position in which theelements 22 return to their normal positions overlying the flange 12. Tolimit the distance that the L-shaped projection is inserted into thechannel 8, the front rib 17 may be provided with a plurality of stopmeans 26 extending rearwardly from the rib l7 and adapted to engage theflange 10 at the same time the forward edge 27 of the breaker stripengages the inner end of the flange 7.

Occasionally it is necessary to remove the breaker strip for access toany electrical wiring, face heaters or the like disposed in the breakerstrip area of the cabinet. This removal can be accomplished by pryingthe forward edge 27 of the breaker strip upwardly away from the flange 7thereby removing the L-shaped anchoring means from the channel 8. Thebreaker strip is then moved forwardly to disengage the elements 22 fromthe flange 12, Alternatively, the inner or rear edge 28 of the breakerstrip may be lifted from the liner 2 to cause the latching elements 22to bend or twist about a generally longitudinal axis thereby pennittingthe elements to ride forwardly over the flange 12. After disengagementof the rear portion of the breaker strip from the liner, the L-shapedprojections at the front edge of the breaker strip can be withdrawn fromthe channel 8. Since the breaker strip is not damaged by removal, it canbe reused.

It should be apparent to those skilled in the art that while there hasbeen described what, at present, is considered to be the preferredembodiment of this invention in accordance with the patent statutes,changes may be made in the disclosed invention without actuallydeparting from the true spirit and scope of this invention.

What I claim as new and desire to of the United States is:

l. A refrigerator cabinet comprising:

a liner having an access opening at the front thereof and a flangesurrounding said opening;

an outer, open faced shell spaced from said liner and including aforward edge portion spaced forwardly from said liner flange;

said forward edge portion of said shell being formed to include achannel opening inwardly and defined by front and rear parallel walls,said front wall forming a face portion of said cabinet;

a relatively flat breaker strip bridging the space between the inneredge of said front wall and said liner flange;

said breaker strip being composed of resilient plastic material andincluding a rear portion overlapping the inner edge of surface of saidliner adjacent said flange;

said strip including a rib extending into said channel in engagementwith said front wall and terminating in a flexible rearwardly extendinglip for frictionally engaging said rear wall and maintaining said rib inengagement with said front wall, said rib including rearwardly extendingstop means engaging the inner edge of said rear wall;

said strip including a plurality of latching elements on the backsidethereof adjacent and forwardly from said liner flange, said elementsbeing spaced longitudinally of said strip and extending angularlyrelative to said liner flange and rearwardly from the connectionsthereof to said strip in overlapping and latching relationship with theouter side of said liner flange;

said elements including camming outer edges adapted upon engagement withthe forward edge of said liner adjacent said flange to flex saidelements forwardly to positions in which said elements will ride oversaid liner flange during assembly of said strip on said liner.

2. The cabinet of claim 1 in which said rear wall is shorter than saidfront wall and said breaker strip includes stop means engaging the inneredge of said rear wall.

3. The cabinet of claim 1 in which said latching elements extend at anangle of not more than about 45 relative to said liner flange.

4. The cabinet of claim 1 in which said latch elements are of a taperingcross section.

5. A refrigerator cabinet comprising:

a liner having an access opening at the front thereof and a flangesurrounding said opening;

an outer, open faced shell spaced from said liner and including aforward edge portion spaced forwardly from said liner flange;

said forward edge portion of said shell being formed to include achannel opening inwardly and defined by front and rear parallel walls,said front wall forming a face portion of said cabinet;

a relatively flat breaker strip of resilient plastic material bridgingthe space between the inner edge of said front wall and said linerflange;

said breaker strip including a front edge overlying the inner edge ofsaid front wall and a rear edge portion overlapping the inner surface ofsaid liner adjacent said flange;

said strip including a first outwardly extending rib extending into saidchannel and engaging said front wall, said rib terminating in a flexiblerearwardly extending lip for fricsecure by Letters Patent tionallyengaging said rear wall and maintaining said rib in engagement with saidfront wall; said strip including a second outwardly extending rib on thebackside thereof adjacent and forwardly from said liner flange duringassembly of said strip on said liner.

6. The cabinet of claim 5 in which said rear wall is shorter than saidfront wall of said channel and terminates in a rearwardly extendingflange and said breaker strip includes means engaging said rearwardlyextending flange.

7. The cabinet of claim 5 in which said latching elements form an angleof about 45 with the plane of said second rib.

t t i i 0 UNETEB STATES MTENT seem:

QERTEFICAE 0F QGRREQWQN Patent No. 3,522 ,215 Dated NOVPmher 23, 1971lnve fl Edwegd H. Roberts It is certified that error appears in theshave-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are cofrectec'i asShawn below:

Column 4, line 23, delete "edge of" Signed and sealed this 25th day ofApril 1972.

(SEAL) A nest:

EDWARD I*T.FL'"TCHEP. ,JR. ROBERT GOTTSCHALK Attesting OfficerCommissioner of Patents FORM PO-1050 (IO-69) USCOMM-DC 603764 69 LL15GOVEF'RMENT HUNTING OFFICE: 1Y6? 0*]5-33

1. A refrigerator cabinet comprising: a liner having an access openingat the front thereof and a flange surrounding said opening; an outer,open faced shell spaced from said liner and including a forward edgeportion spaced forwardly from said liner flange; said forward edgeportion of said shell being formed to include a channel opening inwardlyand defined by front and rear parallel walls, said front wall forming aface portion of said cabinet; a relatively flat breaker strip bridgingthe space between the inner edge of said front wall and said linerflange; said breaker strip being composed of resilient plastic materialand including a rear portion overlapping the inner surface of said lineradjacent said flange; said strip including a rib extending into saidchannel in engagement with said front wall and terminating in a flexiblerearwardly extending lip for frictionally engaging said rear wall andmaintaining said rib in engagement with said front wall, said ribincluding rearwardly extending stop means engaging the inner edge ofsaid rear wall; said strip including a plurality of latching elements onthe backside thereof adjacent and forwardly from said liner flange, saidelements being spaced longitudinally of said strip and extendingangularly relative to said liner flange and rearwardly from theconnections thereof to said strip in overlapping and latchingrelationship with the outer side of said liner flange; said elementsincluding camming outer edges adapted upon engagement with the forwardedge of said liner adjacent said flange to flex said elements forwardlyto positions in which said elements will ride over said liner flangeduring assembly of said strip on said liner.
 2. The cabinet of claim 1in which said rear wall is shorter than said front wall and said breakerstrip includes stop means engaging the inner edge of said rear wall. 3.The cabinet of claim 1 in which said latching elements extend at anangle of not more than about 45* relative to said liner flange.
 4. Thecabinet of claim 1 in which said latch elements are of a tapering crosssection.
 5. A refrigerator cabinet comprising: a liner having an accessopening at the front thereof and a flange surrounding said opening; anouter, open faced shell spaced from said liner and including a forwardedge portion spaced forwardly from said liner flange; said forward edgeportion of said shell being formed to include a channel opening inwardlyand defined by front and rear parallel walls, said front wall forming aface portion of said cabinet; a relatively flat breaker strip ofresilient plastic material bridging the space between the inner edge ofsaid front wall and said liner flange; said breaker strip including afront edge overlying the inner edge of said front wall and a rear edgeportion overlapping the inner surface of said liner adjacent saidflange; said strip including a first outwardly extending rib extendinginto said channel and engaging said front wall, said rib terminating ina flexible rearwardly extending lip for frictionally engaging said rearwall and maintaining said rib in engagement with said front wall; saidstrip including a second outwardly extending rib on the backside thereofadjacent and forwardly from said liner flange and formed to include aplurality of latching elements spaced longitudinally of said second riband extending angularly and rearwardly from the plane of said second ribin overlapping and latching relationship with said liner flange; saidelements including camming outer edges adapted upon engagement with theforward edge of said liner adjacent said flange to flex said elementstowards the plane of said second rib whereby said elements will rideover said liner flange during assembly of said strip on said liner. 6.The cabinet of claim 5 in which said rear wall is shorter than saidfront wall of said channel and terminates in a rearwardly extendingflange and said breaker strip includes means engaging said rearwardlyextending flange.
 7. The cabinet of claim 5 in which said latchingelements form an angle of about 45* with the plane of said second rib.